News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[Disney Analyst]

D23 has a new interview with costume designer Ida Muldrow and cosmetology manager Tisa Powell on how they created one of Tiana’s new looks -

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Inside the Disney Princess’ Bold New Look - D23

Today, Walt Disney Imagineering made a splash at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® when it announced the reimagining

d23.com

I know there was some discourse on here, re: the new look.



These standout to me:

Throughout that process, Muldrow kept one thing in mind: “The goal was to be authentic,” she says. “Even though it is a fairy tale, it’s extremely important to bring out the pride and the dignity of the African American culture at the time.” In addition, representation was also at the forefront of their minds. “One of our goals was to represent the different hairstyles that African American women wore back in those days,” Powell says. “I think it’s great that Tiana is representing that era [in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure] with a beautiful hairstyle that is true to what African Americans wore then.

Imagineers are renowned for their forward-thinking innovations, and that extends to creating the textiles used for Tiana’s attire. “Tiana’s gaiters would have been weighed on a very heavy cotton canvas. But those are natural, man-made fibers,” Muldrow explains. “For this attraction, we have to be realistic. There’s going to be moisture, so we can’t use natural linen or cotton; they can break down in a matter of years. Tiana’s costume is going to be polyester-rich, but it is going to look like linen.”

As for Tiana’s hair in the bayou, Powell says she was “relieved” to have authentic, high-quality materials to create her coif. “Now, we can show that there are different textures to African American hair,” she says. “The hair industry as a whole has evolved, because it did not always have hair that represented African Americans.”

In doing her research, Powell not only looked at the popular styles of the day, but also the tools used to create them. “Back then, it was the hot comb; it wasn’t a relaxer,” she says of the hair-straightening tool. “But there’s a difference in the texture of the hair when you use a hot comb versus a relaxer. So, for Tiana being in the bayou, we actually pressed her hair in Marcel waves. It’s perfect for her.”

 

[erasure fan1]

I'm in the process of watching Princess and the Frog, and I've got to say (to my surprise) I'm enjoying it a lot.
The songs, the animation, the visuals - which I'm happy to see have the potential to really bring something to this ride.
Watching the film, I can see the potential to pull this off.
I really like Facilier.
This is coming from a guy who generally doesn't want another princess feature in the parks, and doesn't want Splash rethemed.

PatF very much lends itself to a great ride. That's why I've been such an advocate for it getting its own ride since the movie was released. Personally I would rather they just bulldoze splash and start from the ground up. Give the IP the best chance for a great ride. I don't think shoehorning it is the right answer. I think a new ride building would make it easier to accept, as I won't be constantly seeing splash in every show scene.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I think a new ride building would make it easier to accept, as I won't be constantly seeing splash in every show scene.

Accept? With Disney changing and updating so much, no ride is sacrosanct and shouldn’t be. Since I started going there in 1978, I have seen literally thousands of changes, and I never had to think about “accepting” them. We enjoy what is there.

 

[Dear Prudence]

D23 has a new interview with costume designer Ida Muldrow and cosmetology manager Tisa Powell on how they created one of Tiana’s new looks -

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Inside the Disney Princess’ Bold New Look - D23

Today, Walt Disney Imagineering made a splash at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® when it announced the reimagining

d23.com

Ida Muldrow is an amazing designer. I would love to see her original designer sketches, as well we how they're going to look on the actual Tiana AAs. Someone on TikTok pointed out that Tiana is the most fashionable of all the Princesses and has the most outfit changes--something I hadn't even thought about! She speaks more to what's going to happen with it in this article.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

PatF very much lends itself to a great ride. That's why I've been such an advocate for it getting its own ride since the movie was released. Personally I would rather they just bulldoze splash and start from the ground up. Give the IP the best chance for a great ride. I don't think shoehorning it is the right answer. I think a new ride building would make it easier to accept, as I won't be constantly seeing splash in every show scene.

If they did that, they’d need a whole lot more than 150M

 

[UNCgolf]

Yeah, much as I love Splash - technology has the potential to render that beloved ride dated and one dimensional by comparision.

Eh, it's possible, but screens as a replacement for physical sets, props, etc. almost always results in a worse, less immersive product (there are a few exceptions, but generally when representing something that can't really be done with physical space). That's not to say that's absolutely what they're going to do -- just that if they do, it's likely going to feel like a significantly diminished experience.

Screens and projections have a role to play, but mainly as a supplement. Na'vi River Journey is the probably the best example of how to successfully use screens to help immersion, and I hope they look at that as an example of how to proceed with this retheme -- at least with regards to the use of screens/projections. They don't need to use NRJ to inform the entire experience.

 

[Incomudro]

PatF very much lends itself to a great ride. That's why I've been such an advocate for it getting its own ride since the movie was released. Personally I would rather they just bulldoze splash and start from the ground up. Give the IP the best chance for a great ride. I don't think shoehorning it is the right answer. I think a new ride building would make it easier to accept, as I won't be constantly seeing splash in every show scene.

Seeing the overlay, or rather not being unable to see past this being and overlay is one of my fears.
One of the things that eases that is that the implications of Disney doing a lousey job on this is likely worse for them than not doing anything at all.

 

[erasure fan1]

Accept? With Disney changing and updating so much, no ride is sacrosanct and shouldn’t be. Since I started going there in 1978, I have seen literally thousands of changes, and I never had to think about “accepting” them. We enjoy what is there.

We've all seen lots of changes and of course no ride is immune to change. But this change isn't just any ride. This is regarded as one of the greatest rides ever made. Like it or not, there will most likely be a lot of people who won't accept a retheme no matter the outcome. So yea, I used accept. Splash is on a short list of historically iconic attractions, It's not malestrom or toad.

If they did that, they’d need a whole lot more than 150M

Yes, yes they would. But I stand by my opinion. A new show building is the way to do the IP justice.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

We've all seen lots of changes and of course no ride is immune to change. But this change isn't just any ride. This is regarded as one of the greatest rides ever made. Like it or not, there will most likely be a lot of people who won't accept a retheme no matter the outcome. So yea, I used accept. Splash is on a short list of historically iconic attractions, It's not malestrom or toad.

Yes, yes they would. But I stand by my opinion. A new show building is the way to do the IP justice.

I completely agree that it is one of the best that Disney has ever done and that it doesn’t need changing at all, but we aren’t in charge. No amount of protesting will change their minds, so we need to accept what happens. If you don’t like the new attraction, then the only choice is to not ride it.

I also agree that a new show building would have been better.

So are you going to stop visiting WDW when they change the attraction?

 

[erasure fan1]

I completely agree that it is one of the best that Disney has ever done and that it doesn’t need changing at all, but we aren’t in charge. No amount of protesting will change their minds, so we need to accept what happens. If you don’t like the new attraction, then the only choice is to not ride it.

I also agree that a new show building would have been better.

So are you going to stop visiting WDW when they change the attraction?

Will I stop going because of this change only? No. We were a every year family for nearly 20yrs. We haven't been since 2016. Why? Because the value isn't there. Decisions like splash, don't make us want to run back either. I was really only pointing out that a completely new ride, would have been the optimal solution.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Hence why she has never had any real presence in the parks.. t

Here we go again with "PatF isn't popular / isn't a real presence in Disney."

So, @Californian Elitist already gave us plenty of videos of Tiana's presence...

... let's recap them:

• Tiana had her own M&G spot off of Liberty Square as well as appearing in Princess Fairytale Hall.
• Tiana's animation launches the very popular HEA.
• Tiana and friends are heavily featured in the Castle Stage Show (Friendship Faire).
• Tiana had a dessert party on the Riverboat.
• Tiana shows up in Festival of Fantasy parade and almost every castle-park parade throughout the world
• Tiana appears in Fantasmic! (both coasts)
• Tiana was going to be featured in the now-scrapped Reflections resort
• PatF was used in Sorcerers of the Kingdom.
• PatF is featured in Port Orleans resort.
• Tiana is part of the Disney Princesses 'brand'.
• Tiana got her own restaurant on the Cruise line where she appears (walkabout M&G) and performs. Plus a PatF lounge. [ WDW... bring that to Orlando! <shakes fist at WDW> ]
• Dr. Facilier is almost always part of any villain crew that shows up: Halloween Party stage show, parade, and fireworks; club evil; etc...

Now let's address the claim that her movie was a flop...

Define "flop." Is it any loss in the theatrical window, or a giant loss?​

​

Going by movie-accounting, as a general rule of thumb:​

​

1. Film budget is usually 50% more than as is stated because the known budget doesn't include advertising and administrative costs of the studio.​

2. Box Office take is only 50% than what is advertised because the studio shares the BO with the theaters.​

​

So, PatF's budget was $105M, so, with advertising, was really $157M. The film's worldwide BO was $267, so, Disney got $134M. That's a loss of $23M.​

So, yea, a flop in that there was a loss in the theatrical window, but... not a giant flop.

The film has a life after the theatrical run: PPV, Premium Cable, DVD, Cable, Broadcast, Streaming. Each window brings in more money. Then there's merchandise. Then there's synergy with The Disney Princesses(tm) and Disney Parks. Tiana becomes much beloved by Disney fans, especially girls of color. She's popular in the parks, resorts, and cruises (see above). PatF more than made up for the theatrical deficit and was a financial win in the end.

Is she less deserving than Rapunzel for a ride? Rapunzel lost more money than PatF did in its theatrical run. Winnie-the-Pooh (2011) had an even bigger loss. Maybe we should just rip out his ride then for being such a big flop?

One more thing to consider if you think PatF isn't profitable for the parks: Y'all hate Chapek, right? Y'all think he's a bottom line cheapskate, right? Do you think he would sign off on all the Tiana M&G, stage appearances, parades, and restaurants if Tiana wasn't a draw? Do you think over the past years (way before the Splash announcement) that he was promoting prime placement for Tiana at a financial loss? If you think that, you don't hate him enough!!

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Will I stop going because of this change only? No. We were a every year family for nearly 20yrs. We haven't been since 2016. Why? Because the value isn't there. Decisions like splash, don't make us want to run back either. I was really only pointing out that a completely new ride, would have been the optimal solution.

Sorry that you don’t see the value anymore. We do, regardless of the decisions that have been made.

And I still completely agree that a brand new ride, or even a New Orleans area, would’ve been a much better solution. If current management weren’t so cheap, that might have happened.

 

[erasure fan1]

Now let's address the claim that her movie was a flop...

Define "flop." Is it any loss in the theatrical window, or a giant loss?

So, yea, a flop in that there was a loss in the theatrical window, but... not a giant flop.

I would say PatF was a flop for sure. Was it the films fault? I'd say definitely not. Disney killed any chance of the movie hitting, with its terrible marketing campaign. They marketed it to little girls, ignoring half the people that buy tickets. Hence why they adjusted Rapunzel to tangled.

I agree with you that at this point, the movie is very much out of the red. Is it the end all be all merch mover? No. Is it something that no one cares about? Absolutely not.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I would say PatF was a flop for sure. Was it the films fault? I'd say definitely not. Disney killed any chance of the movie hitting, with its terrible marketing campaign. They marketed it to little girls, ignoring half the people that buy tickets. Hence why they adjusted Rapunzel to tangled.

More importantly, Disney hurt its own reputation for animated films in the years leading up to PatF by putting out so many direct-to-video movies and releasing stuff to theaters like Home on the Range and Chicken Little.

Audiences were justifiably skeptical about going to see a new Disney animated movie in theaters.

 

[crazy4disney]

Here we go again with "PatF isn't popular / isn't a real presence in Disney."

So, @Californian Elitist already gave us plenty of videos of Tiana's presence...

... let's recap them:

• Tiana had her own M&G spot off of Liberty Square as well as appearing in Princess Fairytale Hall.
• Tiana's animation launches the very popular HEA.
• Tiana and friends are heavily featured in the Castle Stage Show (Friendship Faire).
• Tiana had a dessert party on the Riverboat.
• Tiana shows up in Festival of Fantasy parade and almost every castle-park parade throughout the world
• Tiana appears in Fantasmic! (both coasts)
• Tiana was going to be featured in the now-scrapped Reflections resort
• PatF was used in Sorcerers of the Kingdom.
• PatF is featured in Port Orleans resort.
• Tiana is part of the Disney Princesses 'brand'.
• Tiana got her own restaurant on the Cruise line where she appears (walkabout M&G) and performs. Plus a PatF lounge. [ WDW... bring that to Orlando! <shakes fist at WDW> ]
• Dr. Facilier is almost always part of any villain crew that shows up: Halloween Party stage show, parade, and fireworks; club evil; etc...

Now let's address the claim that her movie was a flop...

Define "flop." Is it any loss in the theatrical window, or a giant loss?​

​

Going by movie-accounting, as a general rule of thumb:​

​

1. Film budget is usually 50% more than as is stated because the known budget doesn't include advertising and administrative costs of the studio.​

2. Box Office take is only 50% than what is advertised because the studio shares the BO with the theaters.​

​

So, PatF's budget was $105M, so, with advertising, was really $157M. The film's worldwide BO was $267, so, Disney got $134M. That's a loss of $23M.​

So, yea, a flop in that there was a loss in the theatrical window, but... not a giant flop.

The film has a life after the theatrical run: PPV, Premium Cable, DVD, Cable, Broadcast, Streaming. Each window brings in more money. Then there's merchandise. Then there's synergy with The Disney Princesses(tm) and Disney Parks. Tiana becomes much beloved by Disney fans, especially girls of color. She's popular in the parks, resorts, and cruises (see above). PatF more than made up for the theatrical deficit and was a financial win in the end.

Is she less deserving than Rapunzel for a ride? Rapunzel lost more money than PatF did in its theatrical run. Winnie-the-Pooh (2011) had an even bigger loss. Maybe we should just rip out his ride then for being such a big flop?

One more thing to consider if you think PatF isn't profitable for the parks: Y'all hate Chapek, right? Y'all think he's a bottom line cheapskate, right? Do you think he would sign off on all the Tiana M&G, stage appearances, parades, and restaurants if Tiana wasn't a draw? Do you think over the past years (way before the Splash announcement) that he was promoting prime placement for Tiana at a financial loss? If you think that, you don't hate him enough!!

I already corrected myself w the wording of presence see my post… i was referencing rides/attractions which last time i checked was ZERO so that what i was referring to & considering they look to monetize every IP & didnt with this i stand by my statement that if they felt she was worthy it would have happened already & yes i feel Disney caved to this & probably used money from other projects so net net the parks lose here. Wasting money on a ride that was popular but definitely needed love for an IP that imo was shoehorned here bc of the climate & not the ideal choice.

 

[Kirby86]

More importantly, Disney hurt its own reputation for animated films in the years leading up to PatF by putting out so many direct-to-video movies and releasing stuff to theaters like Home on the Range and Chicken Little.

Audiences were justifiably skeptical about going to see a new Disney animated movie in theaters.

Yeah also adding to the issue was every animation studio was on the Pixar bandwagon with CG movies traditional hand drawn animation was considered uncool during that time period

 

[TwilightZone]

Also PATF had to compete with Twilight New Moon. I don't remember much cause when it released I was 10, but I do remember Twilight was huge. Doesn't matter what age range, every girl is going to see that (though not me lol, I saw myself as a bit of a "hipster"...oh the memories).

 

[drizgirl]

Also PATF had to compete with Twilight New Moon. I don't remember much cause when it released I was 10, but I do remember Twilight was huge. Doesn't matter what age range, every girl is going to see that (though not me lol, I saw myself as a bit of a "hipster"...oh the memories).

We’re you only allowed to see one movie that year or something?

 

[DisneyHead123]

I do agree.

I can already picture sailing under hanging vines, fireflies flickering, etc.

Could be GORGEOUS.

I sometimes ponder what the difference between a ride like Pirates and a ride like Frozen is, exactly. Like what specific design elements make one so immersive and one kind of "this is nice, but I'm kind of just floating by a lot of characters - hi characters!".

I think making the design a bit more 360, with vines on the ceiling and such, would definitely be a start towards increased immersion and atmosphere. I also hope the storyline is paced a bit - I think some of the best rides have an emotional arc, a bit of a buildup and payoff, not just a "Let's get in all the IP we can back to back!!" feel. Sometimes the best moments are those with barely anything going on but a few eery sound effects, where you're waiting for the action to begin.

 

[drizgirl]

I do agree.

I can already picture sailing under hanging vines, fireflies flickering, etc.

Could be GORGEOUS.

Navi River Ride is gorgeous. And it's boring.

This all comes down to whether Disney cheaps out.